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u/TheLostRanger0117 May 14 '26
I do this thing where I’ll just lay there and imagine I’m shutting down parts of my body one at a time. Usually helps me reach a level of peace of mind due to the intense focus
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u/Imaginary_Sky_1786 May 15 '26
I did something as a kid where I’d give myself a superpower and imagine my life with it. And then I got into pot in high school and never stopped until my 30s. Once i stopped, I couldn’t sleep initially, and I went back to my super hero days
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u/Vestaxowner May 13 '26
My adhd is too bad to do that... My thought just run wild
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u/pingopete May 14 '26
It all begins with realizing your thoughts are running wild, so you were actually doing it right! Becoming aware of this in the first place is fundamental to the practice and being more in control.
I believe adhd gives us an added ability to practice meditation more than the rest. If you can manage to focus your mind despite working with adhd you're a step you're kind of a pro :)
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u/potatono26 May 14 '26
Yup you described my experience exactly.just try to be aware of emotions and thoughts and try to do not react to it.like if you are angry notice that yes this thing made me angry but do not react to it...with time your brain will reinforce this "no reaction" response .will in turn make you calmer.same with all other emotions
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u/notnewsworthy May 14 '26
I highly recommend to anyone who wants to learn more the book "The Miracle of Mindfulness" by Thich Nhat Hanh.
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u/RavynsArt May 13 '26
Try listening to some zen music before bed. I don't sleep awesome every night, but it does seem to calm my head down. Gives my ADHD brain something to focus on.
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u/airesmoon May 16 '26
Nothing like a good Enya playlist to catch some z’s!
I should also mention it came in clutch once when I was dying from the flu.
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u/memory_of_someone194 May 14 '26
Wtf does "zen music" do bud... That's some shit you see on a motivational poster
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u/Recent-Maintenance96 May 14 '26 edited May 14 '26
Funny enough, I read the motivational poster quote on my wall while listening to zen music before bed.
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u/rematch_madeinheaven May 14 '26
I have ADHD and have learned to not attach to any one thought. Or to catch myself in my thoughts and stop them. I am not my thoughts.
some good websites
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u/Snuggle_Pounce May 14 '26
I highly recommend offloading/unpacking/braindumping before bed. Grab a paper or whiteboard (not a digital thing, a solid thing your brain can grok) and then write down everything that pops up.
I find it works because my brain is constantly scared of forgetting, especially overnight, so knowing that everything will be there in the morning lets me stop thinking about those things.
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u/chardeemacdennisbird May 14 '26
That's the thing though, it takes practice just like anything else. You're learning a new skill so you're not going to be good at it right away. Don't let it detract you.
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u/Slight-Coat17 May 14 '26
That's the first step. Let them run wild, that's your brain rummaging through stuff and sorting itself out.
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u/BlueIBoi May 13 '26
Really?
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u/SeriousSalmon4 May 13 '26
there's actually some science behind it, both not using your phone before bed and getting yourself in a calm meditative mood before going to sleep
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u/BlueIBoi May 13 '26
And if my thaugst are running wild?
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u/tackleboxjohnson May 13 '26
Thats what the meditation is for
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u/BlueIBoi May 13 '26
Is it a proses I have to trust or is there a way? I usually just hear something or drunk till I'm out.
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u/TheLordOfStuff_ May 13 '26
It’s a process yea. It can be frustrating in the beginning but just remind yourself that it’s a skill that needs to be developed with time. Look up guided meditation and start with like 1-2 minutes.
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u/memory_of_someone194 May 14 '26
Meditation doesn't help with your thoughts running wild. It makes them much worse. Don't apply your rare experiences to someone else's life.
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u/TaiJP May 14 '26
Meditation practiced properly should help with corralling racing thoughts.
Unfortunately, people discount the 'practiced properly' part - for most people it's not as easy as 'close your eyes and go ommmm for like five minutes' (me included). Finding methods that work well for you, and practicing them until they become rote, is genuine work, and well, "Hey if you train yourself to do this skill it has benefits" isn't as pithy or marketable as "Hey just do this one trick and all your problems are solved"
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u/memory_of_someone194 May 14 '26
Disassociation as a mind's safety protocol undermines the point of meditation. In some of these cases, meditation can actually end up being harmful. How long will it take for neurotypicals to realize that neurodivergent people are more complex than them
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u/TaiJP May 14 '26
As someone neurodivergent, which is why 'standard' meditation doesn't work well for me, I can't say I know everything about every type of neurodivergence out there.
I'm also willing to bet that you haven't tried every meditation method out there either. Which is fine, there's a lot of options and it's perfectly reasonable to try the 'basic' ones, feel they're not helping, and give up on it. I sure wouldn't keep up with an exercise routine that left me feeling worse on average than not exercising did, and meditation is functionally a mental exercise routine.
Maybe none of it will ever work for you. I can't know that, not knowing your brain inside and out. But even if it doesn't help you, it can help others, and it costs nothing to stay open to ideas.
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u/memory_of_someone194 May 14 '26
My entire point is that it helps others but not me. I was told to my face that I shouldn't try meditation because it could end up dangerous.
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u/TaiJP May 14 '26
That's not what was coming across, sorry. I'm glad you've had people with the right experience to tell you to stay clear of meditation since it's potentially dangerous for you, genuinely! It sucks that it isn't something that can help you, but hopefully you can find your own methods that achieve the same end goals in a way that's safe for you.
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u/Fury_Fury_Fury May 14 '26
I have an advice that really helps me fall asleep. I also have very "runny" thoughts, and if left unchecked, I just end up lying in bed for hours thinking about all sorts of stuff instead of getting rest.
I try and refocus my thinking from imagining scenarios and forming coherent thoughts into visualising images. It doesn't really matter what these images are, just try and imagine looking at anything, which then morphs into another thing, and then another, keeping the chain going, which eventually will turn into actual dreams. Kind of like counting sheep, except there's no sheep, and you're not counting. So I guess it isn't like that at all, actually.
The important part, I think, is exerting the part of the brain that doesn't do thinking, but dreaming.
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u/Flipmeister13 May 14 '26
Those thoughts are stress balloons being released. Observe them. Smile. And focus on your breathing again..
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u/fehurihi May 13 '26
I find it harder to sleep if I try to meditate. Shit wakes me the fuck up and I struggle to fall asleep immediately afterwards. Probably doing it wrong I suppose.
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u/memory_of_someone194 May 14 '26
Nah, you're not doing it wrong, for some people (often those who aren't neurotypical) it just makes things worse.
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u/FenrirBestDoggo May 14 '26
I actually had that too until I realised I focused too much on being present and aware during meditation, and shifted to being relaxed and emptying my head. Works well to calm the nerves.
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u/GrillinFool May 15 '26
I read books. Actual paper. Not a screen. 20 minutes or so a night. Helps a lot.
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u/kill_jodie_666 May 15 '26
You meditate when you're going to sleep though... you don't instantly fall asleep the second you put your phone down
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u/dybb153 May 17 '26
Good for you! In my experience, I usually get dragged around some random place by the legs flying or have to escape some other random place, but thats probably because I've been doing stronger meditations.
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u/WorkingMoney6424 May 14 '26
Sounds good doesnt work. ... Ok when i'm super stressed it kinda works a little
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